Monday, April 30, 2007
Tomorrow, May 1st, is Worthy Wage Day - a day to honor the individuals who care for, nurture and help educate our young children.
"Good early childhood teachers are the key to a program's quality," said Mark Ginsberg, Ph.D., Executive Director of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. "Yet most earn only $18,000 or less a year, resulting in many talented teachers leaving the field."
Worthy Wage Day is a day of action built on locally-based organizing and outreach that takes place throughout the year. Activities are organized across the country to raise awareness and advocate for more public resources for early childhood educators.
Child care and preschool programs have difficulty attracting and keeping well-educated and trained individuals to work with young children. On a national average, more than a third of program staff leave the field each year, primarily due to the lack of adequate compensation, few benefits, and difficult working conditions. Only 18 occupations out of 770 surveyed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported having lower mean wages than child care workers.
Young children and their families benefit greatly from the work of early childhood teachers and providers. These educators deserve a worthy wage that reflects the skills and responsibilities involved in this vital work with children.
The theme for this year's observance is "Hanging by a Thread," which refers to the low pay that keeps childcare providers barely getting by. They may make minimum wage, or barely more than that. Most providers don't have access to health insurance and other benefits through their benefits, and it's very difficult to stay in the field unless they happen to be in a family with other sources of income.
Another problem is keeping quality, committed childcare providers in the field, as turnover tends to be high. This day is to highlight the dilemma of working parents who can't pay more for daycare. Childcare providers are getting paid less than people who give puppy dogs haircuts. Society needs to look at that, and consider whether there should be more support for parents who want quality care for their children so they can go to work.
One answer might be supporting programs that offer childcare, so parents don't have to carry the full burden and the workforce can be better paid. The group is recognizing "Worthy Wage Day" around the country today and hopes to get public officials as well as parents thinking about solutions.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
I know we've looked at these types of articles many times before, but it is always a good review to know what people are looking for in childcare so that you can provide for those wishes...
How to Choose a Daycare or Preschool for Your Child
Without Being Pressured
By Stephanie Watson
Finding an appropriate daycare or preschool for your child is a tough job and one that should not be undertaken lightly. There are many things to consider aside from cost such as safety, teacher to student ratio, credentials and more. This article will attempt to help you with your choices and steer you towards the right direction so that you will feel confident in your choice.
Read the entire article...
I am off to the cities this evening to attend the MECSATA Sharing the Wisdom of Many Voices Conference. I have talked about this before and it is one of my favorite conferences of the year. I hope to see a few of you there!
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
I really like this letter to the editor at The Charleston Gazette:
April 23, 2007
Lisa Ertl
Don’t call child-care professionals baby sitters
ONCE a year, formal time is given in April to thank professionals who care for and educate the youngest children in West Virginia. The event, the Week of the Young Child, is April 22 to 28. The annual celebration is sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the world’s largest early childhood education association.
I have personal reasons — three to be exact — for taking time to thank the professional caregivers for the work they do. The three reasons are simple — Megan, Marcus and Max — my children. Since my children have been old enough to sit up, I have had them in child care.
As I watched my daughter, then 18 months old, walk into the classroom for the first
time, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to leave her. She immediately gave me a wave goodbye, but I was the one having separation issues. The tears shed were my own. I didn’t want to leave, but I also knew that I had to work. What was I going to do? I decided to fill out an application and began working full time at the center where my daughter attended. My daughter is now 18 years old and will soon be graduating from high school. Could I have taken another job making more money? Sure, but I would have missed out on being near my children. The payoff to me was simple.
Eighteen years ago, I thought it would be an easy job — play with children and clean up after them. Although I had a degree in early childhood education, I was in for a rude awakening. It took me time to fully grasp and understand the enormity and importance of providing quality care. It was “day care” after all. We were there to care for the children, not educate them. That job was left to the school system. Once I understood that it was up to me, I hungered for more information, more training and more education. I began to appreciate that child care was not a baby sitting job, but a career full of professionals who understood the importance of nurturing, providing a secure base and allowing children their autonomy.People used to ask me what I did for a living. I would proudly say, “I am a child-care provider.” They’d smile and say, “How fun! It must be easy to be a baby sitter.”
I would then list everything I taught “my children” that day: problem solving, cooperation, science, math, creativity and self-help skills. I would tell them about the continuing education we child-care providers are expected to complete. I would tell them about training opportunities, such as the Apprenticeship for Child Development Specialist program and the ongoing trainings through local child-care resource and referral agencies. Most of all, I would share with them the effect I had on a child’s developing brain. I wasn’t going to be the caregiver that allowed a child’s brain not to be stimulated, not to have those neurons and synapses firing on all cylinders, not to make the child ready to learn.
“It is my personal mission,” I would say, “to make sure that each child I come in contact with is the best person he or she can be at that moment in time.”
“Besides,” I would say, “if you can’t buy in to the important groundwork child-care professionals do, look to the research. For $1 spent on quality early care and education, $7 is saved in juvenile detention programs.”
If you can’t buy in to developing a child’s brain, perhaps you can understand the financial ramifications of poor-quality early care and education experiences for children. Baby sitter? I think not.
My children have had wonderful child-care providers that have helped shape and nurture them. I have been fortunate to understand early care and education from both sides — as a provider and as a parent. Neither is easy, but because of the providers that came into the lives of my family, I became a better parent and, I hope, they became better child-care providers.
That is why I ask you to take the time to thank a child-care provider. The time spent in quality care today will reap benefits for years to come. But please don’t call them baby sitters anymore. Call them child-care professionals.
Ertl is a training supervisor at Connect Child Care Resource and Referral, an instructor for the Apprenticeship for Child Development Specialist program.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
This sounds like a lot of fun... A new educational DVD for preschoolers has combined America’s most popular children’s songs – such as "If You're Happy and You Know It," and "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" – with beats rooted in hip hop.
Titled "It's Hip Hop, Baby!" the video hopes to encourage toddlers and preschoolers ages 2 to 6 to explore music, language and sounds. Little ones can learn ABCs, animals, body parts, colors and numbers through musical performances that mirror today's hottest hip hop tracks.
Emmy Award-winning television producer and mom, Candi Carter, created "It's Hip Hop, Baby!" with both parents and children in mind.
"I was looking for that new, cutting-edge toddler video that would appeal to my 3-year-old and to me, but it didn't exist," says Carter. "My son always loved it when I sang his favorite songs in the kitchen, tapping out rhythms and beats with spatulas and spoons, so that's how this started."
"It's Hip Hop, Baby!" also features real children, not actors, showing child-friendly movements that develop listening skills and the ability to follow simple directions.
Dr. Lisa Thornton MD, pediatrician and host of "Health Corner" on Lifetime Television says, "It's Hip Hop, Baby!" is 22 minutes of programming I would recommend for any child."
Find out more information or order online at www.itshiphopbaby.com.
Monday, April 23, 2007
...on the 2008-09 Federal Child Care and Development Fund Plan. Here is your opportunity!
From the Minnesota Department of Human Services:
We would like to invite your input and feedback. In order to provide information and opportunities for comment on Minnesota’s proposed 2008-09 Federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Plan, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is sponsoring two public hearings as well as additional opportunities for input and feedback (outlined below). The public hearings will take place in Saint Paul with four videoconferencing sites in greater Minnesota: Mankato, Walker, Moorhead and Duluth.
In addition to an overview of Minnesota’s proposed CCDF plan, we are pleased that the public hearings will also include information on Minnesota Tribal CCDF plans and how the State and Tribal Child Care programs are working together. This information will be presented by Minnesota Tribal Resources for Early Childhood Care.
Public Hearing Location – Metro
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, May 2, 2007, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
LOCATION: MN Department of Human Services
444 Lafayette Road North, Room 5137 (5F)
Saint Paul, MN
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, May 2, 2007, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
LOCATION: MN Department of Human Services
444 Lafayette Road North, Room 1238
Saint Paul, MN
Videoconferencing Public Hearing Locations – Greater Minnesota
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, May 2, 2007, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
LOCATIONS:
Mankato: Blue Earth County Human Services, 410 South 5th Street,
Basement Level – Voyageur Room, Mankato
Walker: Cass County Courthouse, 300 Minnesota Street, Walker
Moorhead: Clay County Family Services Center, 715 11th Street N, Moorhead
Duluth: St. Louis County Government Center, 320 West 2nd Street,
Room 406, Duluth
The Minnesota Department of Human Services will continue to solicit input on the draft plan after the May 2, 2007, public hearing until June 10, 2007. A copy of the draft plan will be available on the DHS website approximately a week prior to the hearing. Comments, questions and/or requests for a hard copy of the draft plan can be emailed to dhs.child.care@state.mn.us.
Friday, April 20, 2007
BasBased on actions taken thus far by Governor Pawlenty, the Minnesota House and Minnesota Senate, here is the status of key school readiness issues of importance to the business community.
ISSUES
2007 represent progress on early learning of Minnesota’s Pre K children
HOUSE …$73M in additional two year funding over the current $419M biennial budget; includes income tax increase
SENATE…$80M in additional two year funding over the current $419M biennial budget; includes income tax increase
GOVERNOR…$50M in additional two year funding over the current $419M biennial budget; does not include tax increase
Establishment of a goal of 80% school readiness of five year olds by 2012
HOUSE…Is not included
SENATE… Is not included
GOVERNOR… Is not included
Expansion of the assessment at kindergarten entry to 30% of the five year olds by 2009
HOUSE…Includes expansion to 30%
SENATE…Maintains at 10%
GOVERNOR… Maintains at 10%
Support of a quality rating system (QRS) for providers and parents
HOUSE…Greater Minnesota pilots on QRS to compliment MELF work underway
SENATE…Provisional proposals for “quality approved” programs only
GOVERNOR…Scholarships for “quality approved” programs only
Target cost effective efforts first toward “at risk” children from prenatal to age 5
HOUSE…Targets “at risk” chidlren with scholarships
SENATE…Children’s allowance reaches beyond “at risk”
GOVERNOR… Targets “at risk” chidlren with scholarships
That the above issues are priorities over the adoption of all day, every day kindergarten
HOUSE…All day, every day kindergarten is included
SENATE… All day, every day kindergarten is studied
GOVERNOR… All day, every day kindergarten is not included
CONCLUSION
The above issues must be reconciled in a Senate-House conference committee yet to be named. The 2007 session of the Minnesota Legislature is expected to adjourn on May 21; the possibility of an impass does exist which will require a special session to complete adoption of the budget.
Thank you to those who have contacted their various representatives in state government on these matters.
We encourage you to maintain contact with HOUSE 1-800-657-3550/ 651-296-8903, SENATE 1-888-234-1112/651-296-2344 and GOVERNOR-1-800-657-3717/651-296-3391.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
A state-by-state analysis released today by Pre-K Now. In the report, the public education and advocacy organization cites the Governor's failure to provide funding for his 3-year, $145 million pre-k proposal of July 2006 and his flat-funding of the State Preschool Program.
"When poll data indicated that the majority of Californians supported pre-k for all, the Governor sounded committed to his state's youngest learners," said Libby Doggett, Ph.D., executive director of Pre-K Now. "Unfortunately, his FY08 budget does not prioritize pre-k, a fact that leaves hundreds of thousands of children without the chance to benefit from these programs."
The majority of governors made pre-k a policy and fiscal priority for FY08, as evidenced by remarks made in state-of-the-state addresses and recommendations for pre-k funding increases in their annual budgets. The trend enjoys bipartisan support: 9 out of the 22 Republican governors and 20 of the 29 Democratic governors proposed additional funds for pre-k in FY08. Collectively, their budgets would direct more than 800 million new dollars to pre-k programs and allow more than 100,000 additional three and four year olds access to pre-k programs.
"Of the 8 million 3 and 4 year olds in the country, one million live in California," said Doggett. "Given the sheer number of children's futures at stake, we hope that the Governor will ultimately follow through on last year's promise to invest in the kind of nurturing, stimulating programs that help to lay the foundation for success in school and in life."
Click on link below to get either state by state report or full report.
Hot off the press, our "Leadership Matters" report reveals that 29 governors proposed an increase in pre- k funding this year. Get a copy of the report today, then join us by phone on April 25 to discuss the latest trends in gubernatorial pre-k proposals and leadership.
Read "Leadership Matters: Governors' Pre-K Proposals Fiscal Year 2008"
Please join us for Leadership Matters: Governors' Pre-K Proposals, the April 2007 edition of Pre-K Now's monthly national conference call series. Pre-K Now offers these calls as a forum to discuss the different issues that leaders and community advocates face in securing and retaining pre- kindergarten legislation and developing sound, consistent, high-quality programs. During our April call, the presenters will bring in focus governors whose strong leadership has advanced their states' fiscal and political commitment to pre-k. This call is in conjunction with the release of our report, Leadership Matters, which analyzes gubernatorial support for pre- k as measured by mentions in state-of-the-state addresses and budget proposals.
Download Leadership Matters: Governors' Pre-K Proposals Fiscal Year 2008
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
From the moment your child is born, you can create a colorful garden of sounds and words. By talking, listening, and responding to her coos, gurgles, and words, you lay a rich foundation for language skills to take root. But more than that, you encourage her to identify and express her own thoughts and feelings and help her to make sense of the world.
Cultivate conversation
- Like gardening, tending to a budding conversationalist requires the right tools: Nurture your baby’s communication
- Talk early and often. As you talk with your baby, pause to give her a chance to respond. Take a break if she turns her head away or seems over-stimulated.
- Stay close. Let your baby watch your face and mouth as you speak. Diaper changing, feeding, and bathing times provide ideal talking moments.
- Speak “baby.” Use a higher-pitched voice, speak slowly, and talk in a singsong rhythm to capture your baby’s attention and help her to tune in to you. Nourish your toddler’s active imagination
- Do and describe. Simply describing and talking with your child about everyday actions and objects is a great way to introduce new words.
- Talk and pause. After you ask a question, pause and wait for your toddler to respond. Words can take time!
- Say it again. Repeat and use new words often to help your child “lock in” their meaning and how to use them correctly. Harvest your preschooler’s bright ideas
- Make time to listen. The more you listen, the more your little one will talk. This also helps build an important sense of trust.
- Ask questions. Encourage your child to tell you more about her ideas and feelings. Be sure to listen and respond to her questions too.
- Keep it going. As your child’s vocabulary grows, remember to repeat what she says and change your child’s words and phrases into sentences. By talking with you, your child’s language skills will begin to bloom.
For more information:
•Find out why a baby’s babble is important at Talaris.
•Child Care Inc. has some great ways to teach your child to have fun with words.
•Learn more about how children learn to talk by age and stage at Zero to Three.
(The above article reprinted from BornLearning.org. Born Learning is a public engagement campaign helping parents, caregivers and communities create early learning opportunities for young children. Designed to support you in your critical role as a child’s first teacher, Born Learning educational materials are made available through the efforts of United Way, United Way Success By 6 and Civitas.)
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
RELAX!!! Today is National Stress Awareness Day. This is your opportunity to recognize that there is plenty of stress in your life... as if you didn't already know. More importantly, today is an opportunity to learn, and to do something about the stress...... before it drives you batty or worse.
April is also designated as Stress Awareness Month.
Did you know? There was method behind the madness. Today was designated as Stress Awareness Day because it is right after taxes are due!
Some facts about stress:
- 75% of the general population experiences at least "some stress" every two weeks (National Health Interview Survey).
- Half of those experience moderate or high levels of stress during the same two-week period.
- Millions of Americans suffer from unhealthy levels of stress at work. (A study several years ago estimated the number to be 11 million--given events since that time, this number has certainly more than tripled--studies in Sweden, Canada, and other Westernized countries show similar trends.)
- Worker's compensation claims for "mental stress" in California rose 200-700% in the 1980s (whereas all other causes remained stable or declined!)
Stress contributes to heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, and other illnesses in many individuals. - Stress also affects the immune system, which protects us from many serious diseases.
- Tranquilizers, antidepressants, and anti-anxiety medications account for one fourth of all prescriptions written in the U.S. each year.
- Stress also contributes to the development of alcoholism, obesity, suicide, drug addiction, cigarette addiction, and other harmful behaviors.
- The U.S. Public Health Service has made reducing stress by the year 2000 one of its major health promotion goals.
Already feeling stressed? Check out some ideas for dealing with stress, enjoy some good things, or maybe just take a time out.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Today, there are over 12 million children under the age of 5 in some type of child care every week. Parents have chosen caregivers they feel will give their child high-quality care. Caregivers can offer parents peace of mind while they are at work. They work with parents, focusing on the growth and development of children. Each day, they offer children learning experiences through play or structured activities. You and your child become very close to these caregivers. You may thank them regularly, but what about giving them a day of their own?
The first National Provider Appreciation Day was celebrated in 1996. A group of individuals recognized child care providers and their daily work with children. Over the years, this day has gotten bigger across the nation. National Provider Appreciation Day is the Friday before Mother’s Day. Celebrations occur in many ways, from small events at a child care program, to community-wide events, to local news coverage, and sometimes, a proclamation by state or local officials. No matter what the event, it is important that we thank the individuals who are caring for our children.
This year, Provider Appreciation Day is on May 11th. Below are some ways you can celebrate, adapted from www.ProviderAppreciation.org:
- Send flowers, cards or a handwritten note of thanks
- Work with your child to create something special
- Buy something for your provider's play area
- Give your provider a paid day off, a raise, or a bonus
- Plan a thank-you meal
- Ask about her hobby and find a related gift
- Talk with other parents to create a surprise
- Call local stores to request gift certificates
- Hang banners or posters
- Ask your employer if they would provide scholarships for toys, equipment or training that you can sponsor as a parent
- Plan a group picnic
- Ask government officials to sign a proclamation
- Give your provider a scholarship for a conference or workshop
- Have a parade or dedicate a park
- Invite other programs to join the celebration
You may also want to check with your local Child Care Resource & Referral agency to see if they have any special events planned. These local CCR&R can also share other possible celebration ideas or resources. To locate your local CCR&R, click here.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Here's an activity that you may want to participate in...
Date: April 25, 2007
Time: 8:30am - 11:30am
Where: State Capitol Rotunda and Great Hall
What: An event to promote the importance of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers growing up in a literacy-rich environment.
Featuring:
- Legislator lead story time
- Entertainment for young children
- Resources for parents
- Book give-aways
Kari Johnson; john2661@umn.edu; 612-237-1401 or Nicholas Goodwin; goodwinn@augsburg.edu; 612-501-5250
Sponsored by the Minnesota Legislative Early Childhood Caucus Co-Chairs: Reo. Sandra Peterson, Rep. Randy Demmer, Sen. Claire Robling, Sen. Tarryl Clark, and Ex-Officio Chair Rep. Nora Slawik.
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ALSO did you know that yesterday was National Drop Everything and Read Day
What is National D.E.A.R. Day?
D.E.A.R. stands for Drop Everything and Read. National D.E.A.R. Day is a special reading celebration to remind and encourage families to make reading together on a daily basis a family priority.
National D.E.A.R. Day is lead by the National Education Association (NEA); Parent Teacher Association (PTA); HarperCollins Children’s Books; the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association; Reading Rockets; First Book; the Newspaper Association of America Foundation (NAAF) and Ramona Quimby.
The National D.E.A.R. Day partners are marking the birthday of beloved author Beverly Cleary as the official event date, April 12th. Ramona Quimby, who was in charge of spreading the word about National D.E.A.R. Day last year, is relinquishing the National Spokesperson role in 2007 to actress Emma Roberts, star of Nickelodeon's Unfabulous and the upcoming Nancy Drew movie.
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Take the time to read to a child today... you will be impacting their tomorrow!
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Yesterday we discussed some articles about a recent study that was, in my opinion, sensationalized and blown out of proportion by the media. Why? Mainly because those types of headlines sell newpapers. Here are some excellant commentaries from the following articles:
The Kids Are Alright
The good news for working parents: The study found that kids who went to high-quality day-care centers had an edge over all the other kids on vocabulary scores. This association didn't decrease as the kids got older. But then there is the finding that inspired the headlines: "Teachers reported more problem behaviors for children who spent more time in centers." This effect also held steady over time. And as the New York Times put it, "the finding held up regardless of the child's sex or family income, and regardless of the quality of the day care center." As in, Beware of Day Care. No matter how good you think your kid's is, it's making him unruly and disruptive, two favorite media adjectives for kids who cause trouble at school.
Here's a key question: What was the quality of the day care this 15 percent received? Were their centers as good? Burchinal ran the numbers for me, and the answer is no. The study rated all child-care arrangements on a scale from 1 for abysmal to 4 for excellent. The mean score for kids who were cared for entirely at home was 2.85. The mean for kids who spent less than a year in day care was 2.84. One to two years in day care: 2.82. Three to four years: 2.76. And four or more years: 2.71. In other words, the kids with more reported behavior problems in elementary school were the ones who spent three or four years in day care and whose care was, on average, of lower quality.
The Horrors of Cay Care
The headline in the March 26 Times was "Poor Behavior Is Linked to Time in Day Care." But in the second paragraph, the author was already saying that the results of the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development demonstrate that "the effect is slight." So did it merit the headline? Or a story at all?
In addition, buried deeper in the article is the news that the disruptive effects described by the teachers of kindergartners were not long-lasting.
Additional significant factors would include not only the amount of time the children had been in day care, and also what kind of public schools they were sent to after day care - as well as what was going on in the families during this time.
No Need To Panic About Child Care
One danger of statistical studies such as this is that the sheer number of comparisons made increases the chance that one small finding can occur purely by chance. In fact, after making an appropriate adjustment for multiple comparisons, this effect on problem behavior is not reliably different from zero.
Finally, it seems to have gone unnoticed that quite a lot is known about how to produce better outcomes for children in centers. National randomized trials of Early Head Start and Head Start, as well as smaller studies of strong, educationally effective preschool centers, have found meaningful positive effects on children's social development and behavior. There is no hint of this in the national institute study - probably because the institute studied typical child care, much of which does not live up to basic quality standards.
There will always be people who do not believe that child care can be good for a child. But we know that is not necessarily true. It is true is that poor quality childcare can have an adverse effect on the development of a child... but so can bad parenting. This type of news should spur us onward to more professionalism, increased education and training, and overall improvement of the quality of care.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
If you have been following the news last week, you have probably noticed the huge media uproar over the release of a recent study concerning aggressive behavior and child care.
Here are a sampling of some of the articles:
- http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070326095141.htm
- http://www.nationalacademies.org/headlines/20070404.html
- http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/04/04/31nichd_side.h26.html
"However, the researchers cautioned that the increase in vocabulary and problem behaviors was small, and that parenting quality was a much more important predictor of child development than was type, quantity, or quality, of child care. "Children who were cared for exclusively by their mothers did not develop differently than those who were also cared for by others."
Download the study HERE (NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development booklet. 52 page report)
The study examined how quality, quantity, and type of child care setting affected children's development.
Specific findings include:
- Higher quality care was associated with better outcomes.
- Children in higher quality child care had somewhat better language and cognitive development during the first 4½ years of life than those in lower quality care.
- They were also somewhat more cooperative than those who experienced lower quality care during the first 3 years of life.
- Amount of time in care mattered to some degree. Children with higher quantity (total combined number of hours) of experience in child care showed somewhat more behavior problems while in child care and in kindergarten classrooms than those who had experienced fewer hours in care.
before and just after school entry than children who experienced other non-maternal child care arrangements.
Parent and family characteristics were more strongly linked to child development than any aspect of child care. Researchers studied the quality of the family environment, parental attitudes, maternal
psychological adjustment, and mother's sensitivity.
The following characteristics predicted children's cognitive/language and social development: parents' education, family income, and two-parent family compared to single-parent family; mothers' psychological adjustment and sensitivity; and the social and cognitive quality of home environment.
Tomorrow, I'll share some thoughts and opinions about this study and the media hype and outrage that has ensued.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Over 1,000 parents, providers, and children rallied at the capitol to support child care and early education in Minnesota. The following article is from KARE-11
Children's rally creates romper Rotunda
Many interest groups arrive at the Minnesota capitol each year in search of money. But the ones who came to lobby for dollars on Thursday were hard to ignore.
The annual Voices for Children rally created a veritable Romper Rotunda. Nearly 1,000 children, parents and educators converged to ask lawmakers to restore cuts made to pre-kindergarten programs in the past.
The slogan "No Child Starts Behind" is a recurring theme at the annual rally, to call attention to the value of early education programs such as ECFE, Head Start and subsidized child care.
"It's an investment really because if we invest now in our earliest learners it's gonna
make a big difference for them once they are in school," Cristina Gillette told KARE 11 News.Gillette is one of the parents who helped organize the rally, and has two children in ECFE programs in Mendota Heights.
"And it's helped them get real classroom experience," Gillette remarked.
And although she feels her own parents were great role models Gillette says the parenting education aspect of the program has been very helpful as well.
"The literature and resources they've connected me to, it's helped me to be a better parent. And getting a chance to talk to other parents, to compare notes about developmental issues, bed time, food and other things has been great."
Fighting for Dollars
Rep Nora Slawik, D-Maplewood, led cheers of "Yes We Can" at the rally.And the president of the advocacy group known as Ready-4-K, Todd Otis, urged the crowd to keep fighting.
"If Minnesota lawmakers want to have a strong, healthy state economy tomorrow, we need to invest today in early care and education."
The investment in early education , as a concept, has fared better this session in the House than in the Senate. And neither chamber has been able to find as much cash as early ed proponents anticipated in the wake of the state's budget surplus.
As Cristina Gillette put it, "It sounded like we were gonna have a lot of money for early education and care and when the proposals came out they were far short, at least in the Senate."
"We're hoping that things will get better but we're losing confidence in our legislators." Rep Slawik heads the early childhood division of the House finance commitee, and admitted to reporters last week it hasn't been as easy convincing colleagues as she first expected.
"It's kind of like the old west," she told reporters.
"Is it a showdown? Yes." The figure of $150 million was tossed around before the 2007 session began. Last week the House DFL plan included $40 million in new money for early education.The Senate plan had fallen short of that, but on Thursday Senate Democrats offered an education finance bill that included $56 million for pre-K allowances.
A group of children who'd been at the rally later served as living visual aids at a Senate DFL news conference, giving it the feel of a daycare center or at least a large family
reunion.Looking at the children sitting near the lecture, assistant majority leader Tarryl Clark of Saint Cloud cited the need to invest in early education.
"We don't want any child starting behind when they get to kindergarten because it's hard to be above average when starting behind," Clark told the Capitol press corps. "We'll need every single one of these kids to be ready and be a productive citizen. It's gonna be critical for our economy."
Dueling Philosophies
Clark cited a 2003 study by Federal Reserve Bank economist Art Rolnick, which calls early education programs a wise investment not just for society but from an economic development standpoint as well.In that study Rolnick and co-author Robert Grunewald concluded, "The return on investment from early childhood development is extraordinary, resulting in better working public schools, more educated workers and less crime.
"There are skeptics who challenge the notion that the money is wisely spent. Mitch Pearlstein of the conservative think tank known as the Center of the American Experiment has often questioned the long-term effectiveness of such program on student performance.
Pearlstein told the Minneapolis Star Tribune recently, "It's difficult to replicate in mass ways the few exception programs that show those dramatic results."
In a 2004 Star-Tribune editorial Pearlstein wrote, "Despite the huge amount of money spent since the 1960s in preparing children for kindergarten and further learning, graduates of Head Start and similar programs have tended to lose, by the middle of elementary school, any scholastic progress they may have made because of earlier enrichments."
Pearlstein, long an advocate of school choice, argues the public's money is better spent in scholarship programs allowing lower income families to enroll their children in private pre-K programs. Governor Tim Pawlenty advocated the same in his State of the State address and including $29 million for early education grants in his budget plan.Democrats have warmed up to an idea of a pilot grant program, but don't want to abandon traditional child care, Head Start and ECFE.
"With 50% of our kids not ready when they get to kindergarten we know they need to do more," Sen Clark told reporters Thursday.
"If we want a well paid, high quality work force, we need to make sure that we're leaving no child behind."
Monday, April 09, 2007
Friday the 13th will definitely be unlucky if you don't get your registration in for the 2007 Sharing the Wisdom of Many Voices Conference in. Yes, Friday is the deadline to register for one of my favorite conferences of the year. This year's conference will be held on April 27 & 28, 2007 at the Marriott Hotel in Minnetonka, MN.
On behalf of the Minnesota Early Childhood and School Age Trainers Association (MECSATA), the Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network (MNCCR&R) and the Sharing the Wisdom of Many Voices 2007 planning committee, it is a pleasure to announce the Eleventh Annual Sharing the Wisdom of Many Voices Conference: A Conference for Trainers and Leaders in Early Childhood and School Age Care.
This year’s conference will build on last year’s theme “The Pearls of Wisdom” as we connect the past to our future we’re going “Beyond the Pearls…Stepping Into Our Future”!
You will find a variety of sessions offered at the conference including: training techniques and strategies, self care and life management, advocacy and leadership skills, consultation techniques, director’s sessions and many more.
Register online or download the registration information at http://etl.mnchildcare.org/mecsata.html. Hurry time is running out!
I hope to see you there!
Friday, April 06, 2007
Act silly
Believe in magic
Create a masterpiece
Daydream every chnace you get
Explore a book
Find time for fun
Give lots of hugs
Hang up all artwork
Imagine
Join in all activities
Keep it simple
Love all children
Make time for your friends
Nap whenever possible
Open your mind to new ideas
Play whenever you feel like it
Question all answers
Run with the wind
Sing favorite songs
Take time to be by yourself
Uncover hidden skills
Venture out
Walk on the wild side
X-pect the unexpected
Yield to the moment
Zzz peacefully at night
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Nationwide, children typically enter school at around age 5, when they're ready for kindergarten. But research highlighting the importance of early learning is prompting more and more states to add pre-kindergarten programs.
"Virtually every state has a very strong movement toward doing a better job with pre-k," said Arthur Rolnick, a senior vice president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and part of a group of business leaders calling for giving low-income kids earlier access to public school.
A report being released Wednesday finds states spent at least $3.3 billion last year on pre-kindergarten. That doesn't include money from federal and local governments, which contribute to the state programs. The state funding is up from $2.8 billion in 2005, according to the report by the National Institute for Early Education Research at New Jersey's Rutgers University.
In all, nearly 1 million children, or 20 percent of the country's 4-year-olds, were in state pre-kindergarten last year -- up from 17 percent the previous year, the report found.
About two-thirds of 4-year-olds are in private preschool or child-care programs or at home, the study said.
About one in 10 is in Head Start, the federal pre-kindergarten program for poor children, the report said. The $6.8 billion Head Start program covers only about half of all eligible children. About 7 percent of the nation's 3-year-olds also participate in Head Start.
As in Virginia, most state-funded programs are aimed at poor children. However, Florida, Georgia and Oklahoma offer pre-k to all 4-year-olds. Other states are considering going that route.
Illinois Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich won approval to extend preschool to all 3- and 4-year-olds by 2011 and is pushing for the money to do it.
The federal No Child Left Behind education law probably has something to do with the trend, says Steven Barnett, who wrote the report on state pre-k spending.
One of that law's goals is to eliminate achievement gaps between low-income and wealthier students, but studies show the gap begins before children enter school.
"Schools are quite aware if we start off behind ... we will have a very difficult time making this up by the time we're responsible for the test scores," Barnett said.
Rolnick and Nobel Prize-winning economist James Heckman of the University of Chicago have been speaking out on the fiscal benefits of paying for pre-k. They say getting kids off to a solid start is much cheaper than giving them remedial education later.
Pre-k advocates point to research including:
- An ongoing study dating to the 1960s in Ypsilanti, Michigan, in which some children were randomly assigned to attend a high-quality preschool and some were not. Those who went were more likely to graduate from high school, had higher earnings and were less likely to be arrested.
- A study of children who were randomly selected for an early learning program in North Carolina that began in the 1970s, which found participants did better in reading and math and were less likely to be left back later.
- A 2003 Georgetown University examination of the Oklahoma preschool program, which found children in pre-k had improved cognitive and language skills.
Read the entire article...
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Child care is evolving, and most care providers and parents agree the changes are for the best. What are some of the latest trends in child care and what should parents be looking for when making an all-important child care decision? The number 1 trend should be no surprise to you if you have been a reader for any length of time here...
1) Child Care is Now Early Education
No longer is child care for young children simply babysitting. Child care centers have mostly transitioned to centers for early education, where young tots are involved with early learning. The trend to learning centers is partly due to high parent and school expectations; it's also attributable to research that shows that kids are capable of learning early academics and other skills that previously were not taught until later. Care centers often offer formalized early education curriculum, and staff receives extensive training in instruction geared for preschoolers.
2) Drop-In Child Care is More Common
3) Corporate Child Care is Raising Quality Bar
4) Technology is Changing Provider/Parent Connection
5) Most Child Care is Becoming Safer
6) More Child Care Options Exist
7) The Internet Can Help You Find Child Care
8) Communications Are More Frequent, More Useful
9) Child Care Caters to Time-Crunched, Working Parents
Read the entire article and find out more about these trends and how they can impact your child care business.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
In March, the National Institute of Early Education Research (NIEER) released their State Preschool Yearbook, The State of Preschool 2006. Did you know that 38 states have state-funded prekindergarten programs that enroll over 950,000 children each year? Does your state offer publicly-funded prekindergarten? If so, how does your state compare with other states in your area?
The results of the 2006 Preschool Yearbook might surprise you. While the number of states that provide publicly-funded preschool has grown, uniformity in standards, credentialing and quality control measures still vary greatly from state to state. Read the executive summary and peruse the related resources in this easy-to-read report to learn more about the state of preschool in your state and across the country.
This report highlights the gains that have been made in early childhood education across the country. For example, in 2006, public preschool enrollment hit an all-time high of 20% of all four-year-olds, up from just 17% in 2005. Another highlight is that 37 of the 38 states that provide state-funded preschool programs have established state early learning standards, a critical benchmark for program success. This report also highlights areas in need of improvement. In 2006, the average amount spent per child dropped by $373, following a trend of under-spending in this area since 2002. In addition, NIEER points out there remains enormous disparity between states when it comes to comparing benchmarks for program effectiveness and teacher preparation requirements.
To read the State of Preschool 2006 in its entirety and to access additional valuable information on preschool and early education, be sure to visit the NIEER Web site:
- State of Preschool 2006 report (PDF)
- Executive summary of the State of Preschool 2006 report (PDF)
- NIEER Preschool Yearbook archive
*By the way... how does Minnesota rank? Not very well, I'm sorry to say. Although Minnesota ranks 3rd in the amount of state money spent per child in preschool, unfortunately it is primarily due to the low numbers of children in preschool. Minnesota ranks 37th in the percentage of 4 year old children attending preschool... Of the 13 states with fewer 4 year olds in a preschool program, 12 do not have a program! Look over the reports and check out the results for yourself.
Monday, April 02, 2007
The Legislature is on spring break from Monday April 2 through Monday April 9.
THIS IS A REALLY GOOD TIME TO TALK WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS.
Often, legislators will “take the temperature” in their home communities over the spring break. They’ll be listening to whether people are pleased or disappointed with current legislative proposals.
Please take this opportunity to talk with your legislators. You can talk to them when you see them around town, in the grocery store or at the local café. Or you can call them at home (you can find their home number by downloading this directory from the MN legislature website), or better yet you can arrange a meeting with your legislator in your district.
Both the House and the Senate are proposing increases for early childhood education and child care. That’s movement in the right direction. When you speak with legislators, thank them for supporting increased investments in early childhood education and child care. Remind legislators that, whatever the politics, we want to see a big leap forward THIS YEAR in getting kids ready for kindergarten. (A comparison of the House and Senate omnibus bills on early childhood issues is available here .)
It’s also good to remind legislators why we’re advocating for increased funding. It’s the kids that matter.
- We know that only 50% of our children are coming to kindergarten fully prepared and that the legislature made cuts of more than $200 million in early childhood education and child care over the past four years.
- We know that the first five years of life are the most critical in terms of brain development, language acquisition, and social development and that investing in early childhood brings the greatest return on our investment.
